Vehicle Fires

By Tony Brock of Brock Law Offices PC on Thursday, December 15, 2016.

A vehicle fire can be dangerous and frightening. Common sense, good driving habits, and housekeeping can prevent many fires in your vehicle, but unfortunately, not all fires are preventable. Most fires occur in one of three areas on a commercial vehicle; cab/engine, tires/brakes, and cargo.

Keep the cab clean and free of debris at all times. The engine should be checked routinely and should be free of spilt oils and fluids. Regular checks of wiring and electrical, fuses, the battery, and exhaust should be done.

Overheated tires are a common way vehicles fires occur. An underinflated tire can overheat and should be changed as soon as possible. Worn brakes can overheat and should be checked frequently.

Cargo areas should be clean and checked for hazardous materials. You should never smoke in or around a vehicle transporting hazardous materials in the cargo area.

Know your company's fire safety procedure and make sure to have an operating fire extinguisher as required by the FMCSR on all trucks, truck-tractors, and buses.

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